BOAT SHOW
The Spirit 50CR has been shortlisted by a panel of judges in the Spirit of Tradition over 40ft category in this year’s Classic Boat magazine awards. Well-respected by its avid readership and the wider classic yacht world, Classic Boat magazine hosts its annual awards in March to celebrate the best new builds, restorations and people in the industry.
Spirit Yachts managing director Nigel Stuart commented, “The 50CR is ideal for people who appreciate the beauty of classic design, but like a little bit of luxury and want to be able to race competitively or simply feel power in the sails when cruising.”
Nigel continued, “The Classic Boat award shortlist is fantastic recognition for all the creativity, skill and meticulous attention to detail that go into every Spirit. The 50CR is the perfect example of a Spirit of Tradition yacht: classic, beautiful design combined with modern build techniques and materials, and the highest quality craftsmanship.”
Launched at last year’s Southampton Boat Show, the Spirit 50CR attracted attention for her good looks and spacious interior. Designed by Spirit Yachts’ founder and head designer Sean McMillan, the 15m 50CR is a Bermudan sloop rigged to enable short-handed cruising and occasional regatta racing.
On deck, the Spirit 50CR has a Hall Spars carbon mast and boom as well as nitronic rod rigging, which are complemented by a OneSails sail wardrobe comprising a main, a jib and an asymmetric. The helm is controlled by a 42” mahogany and stainless-steel wheel and is powered by a 39hp Yanmar engine. Lithium batteries and a high output alternator will ensure the yacht minimises engine run-time.
Nigel Stuart said, “The design of Spirit cruiser-racer yachts incorporates added beam and headroom compared to the more streamlined Spirit classic yachts. The increased interior volume fulfils demand from owners wishing to cruise comfortably with family and friends, whilst the light displacement and modern appendages deliver the performance capabilities to race.”
Nigel continued, “With accommodation for five guests across three cabins and two heads, the Spirit 50CR offers practicality for couples and families, whilst the exposed interior timber showcases the quality of the craftsmanship.”
The forward double cabin has an ensuite head with shower, toilet and basin. In the centre of the interior is an open plan galley, a dining area with seating for six people and a sofa on the starboard side. With five overhead hatches, the saloon is filled with natural light to complement the warmth of the wood.
Aft of the galley, on the starboard side, is a navigation table with accompanying instruments. Situated directly behind the navigation table is a large single berth. The port aft cabin houses a double berth, forward of which is a separate head with shower, toilet and basin.
The Spirit 50CR was also the first sailing yacht in the UK to launch with a Lignia, instead of a teak, deck. This step change in materials was one of the factors that lead to Spirit Yachts winning the inaugural Environment Award at the Southampton Boat Show.
Spirit Yachts managing director Nigel Stuart explained, “Teak is now considered a high-risk timber, so whilst we are using up our current supply, our standard decking for new Spirit yachts will be Lignia. We take our responsibility to the environment seriously and we are not prepared to risk using wood from unregulated sources. Having done extensive research into different options, we have found Lignia to be the best alternative to teak.”
Produced in Wales, Lignia is a soft wood and a member of the Douglas fir family (or Pinaceae) that starts its life in FSC® certified forests. Once harvested, the wood is modified by treating it with resin. After the resin is impregnated in the wood, it is dried out via a final curing process to ensure the resin is locked in at a molecular level. This gives Lignia the performance and durability that match or surpass tropical hardwoods.
Spirit 50CR Specifications:
Designer: Sean McMillan
Build: Spirit Yachts Ltd, Ipswich, U.K
Construction: wood epoxy composite
LOA: 14.95m / 49.1ft
LWL: 10.5m / 34.5ft
Beam: 3.5m / 11.8ft
Draft: 2.05m / 6.9ft
Displacement: 8.2 tonnes
Rig type: Bermudan sloop
Rig: carbon fibre masts and booms with nitronic rod rigging
Sails: OneSails main, jib and asymmetric
Engine: 39hp 3JH5E Yanmar
Fuel:270 litres
Prop: Gori
Water: 400 litres
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